Scarlet Sky
by Collaterally Damaging Pen
Summary: Based on chapter 163 in Fairy Tail. Erza and Natsu think about what has happened. Probably don't want to read unless you've been keeping up with the Fairy Tail manga to avoid spoilers.


**Disclaimer - I do not own anything affiliated with Fairy Tail**

Scarlet Sky

PoV. Natsu Dragneel

"Gerard Fernandes. You are under arrest for the crime of federal treason."

It wasn't right for the council to just take Gerard away like that. He helped us take down Nirvana and then they were just going to lock him up without even taking that into account! He may have even saved Wendy's life in the past yet they're just going to dispense their justice right there and take him! I couldn't help but look back and notice the sad face Erza was starting to make. Erza, she was in pain and I knew it.

Then she started to shake all over, grit her teeth and I could even see a tear on her cheek. She was struggling and I could see she was starting to come to a decision. It wasn't right to see Erza cry, no one should be able to do that to her! Not even with their absence! Gerard had proven in the fight to take down Nirvana that he could become one of our Nakama. Gerard was not going to make her cry again so there was only one option to keep Erza safe.

"He's not going anywhere!" I shouted and charged right into the ranks of those stuck up council guys to get Gerard. There were so many of them but that wouldn't stop me! I was going to take Gerard back with us no matter what!

"He's one of us! We're taking him back with us!" I would get him back no matter what and if he turned out to evil to the core then so be it. If he ever hurt Erza again I would just have to beat him up until he apologized to Erza for what he had done.

One by one my Nakama and new friends joined in the fight to get Gerard back. There was no way we could lose and we'd get Gerard back from those council members even if they arrested us as well! "Come with us Gerard! You mustn't be taken away from Erza! You've got to stay by her side! For Erza's sake! So come with us!"

There were so many of those council members and they swarmed around us like ants but there was no way I was going down without getting Gerard back. Then Erza spoke up, "Enough! Stop This!" Hearing her speak I had no option but to stop and listen to what she had to say. Soon after Erza stopped the fighting, I hear her say something that I never thought she would ever say, "I apologize for the commotion. I will take full responsibility. You may...take Gerard away..."

"Erza!" I shouted in disbelief. It didn't make any sense! How could Erza, who had always been trying to take care of her past with him, and even support him if she could, just allow Gerard to be taken away by those guys! She looked so distraught as Gerard was taken away and they exchanged a few last words with each other. There was one moment though, when Gerard commented on her hair, there was a flame that seemed to ignite in her, a spark that lit up for a brief moment before Gerard was locked away in the prison carriage. It just wasn't right.

* * *

PoV. Erza Scarlet

Gerard, we had finally gotten the chance to reconcile with each other and make up for the lost time when you were consumed by Zeref's madness. We could have started over and maybe even made you into one of our Nakama but now you're gone and so is a part of my heart. I remember how I got my last name; it was you Gerard who chose it for me because it was the color of my hair and I had no last name. You were so kind back then; you put your fingers in my hair and gave me a name you would never forget. You kept your promise, even with your amnesia and all the time that had passed since then. If you could stay with me, by my side, I could have helped you and you me.

It's too sad to think about, I just can't stop these tears that flow down my cheeks like never ending rivers. We've lost so much time Gerard, and now it looks like your time is gone and I'll never be able to see you again. It's not fair that you never got a second chance, the perfect opportunity for a second chance had just appeared and now you are under arrest by the new council. Water flows freely from my real eye and my artificial one; I guess it shows just how complete my grief is that you're gone again. I can't even notice the sky starting to turn scarlet as the sun rises in the distance, all I can do is sit here and cry.

"Gerard." I moan into my arms in my curled up, fetal position. It's just too much and I start to wail out loud, my hands dig into my hair and hold my head as warm, hot tears continue to slide and fall from my face. I can't see anything anymore; we could have started over Gerard, but that chance was taken away.

"Erza." I hear a familiar voice and I look up toward it through my watery eyes. It's hard to see who it is but I could just make out his familiar pink hair.

"Natsu." I manage to choke out but I'm unable to stop crying and my vision, which had started to clear up, gets blurry again. I should be able to stop but I can't, I just can't.

"Why did you stop us?" Natsu speaks up once again and I do the best that I can to wipe the tears from my eyes but it only clears up my vision temporarily and my vision blurs again. Natsu's question has a point, why did I stop, the answer's obvious right?

"I couldn't let any of you be hurt for my sake. I know what Gerard has done is unforgivable but I still wanted him to have the chance to actually live again. Even though I hate to see him taken away it would hurt me just as much if the council punished Fairy Tail for what we were about to do. Fairy Tail means too much to me, I can't just allow my selfishness to bring it down along with Gerard." Surely Natsu would understand, surely he would.

"YOU IDIOT!" Natsu's rebuke was so powerful that I stopped crying out of shock and my eyes started to focus in on his face as my tears started drying up. As everything came into shape I started to notice the colors as well, the scarlet sunrise behind Natsu cast him and everything else in its scarlet light. "You know that Fairy Tail isn't concerned about its standing with the council or how anybody else sees us! The only thing Fairy Tail is concerned about is its Nakama! Nakama are everything in Fairy Tail! We laugh together, we cry together, and we fight together all for the sake of our Nakama! You know this the most out of all of us Erza! The council can disband us, arrest us, maybe even destroy us but they can never take away the fact that we are Nakama and as far as I'm concerned, Gerard proved that he was our Nakama too! A guild that gives up on its Nakama isn't worth anything! I promised that I wouldn't let anyone make you cry and I'm going to keep that promise!" By the end of his speech the entire sky was crimson and Natsu stood out in front of me, enveloped by that light which was slowly changing into its usual gold, and then he stretched out his hand to me. "Let's find a way to save Gerard together! It doesn't matter how long it takes! A day, a month, a few years, we'll find a way!"

"Natsu," I stared up at the dragon slayer, still a little shocked about what he had said to me. Natsu was right though, Fairy Tail had never been about anything but the well-being of its Nakama, how was it that I had actually forgotten. After all, we had declared war with Phantom not after our guild was trashed, but after they had hurt Levi and the others. I tenitively reached out my own hand and Natsu grasped it with his own and pulled me up on my feet. Natsu grinned at me from a few inches away and I felt my own lips start to curl up into a smile.

"Natsu," I said again and I felt my eyes start to mist up again. Natsu was always there to lift me back up on my feet whenever I fell. He was always trying to protect me and everyone else around him. Somehow he always managed to make everyone feel better. Even though his words made my heart lift up with joy, my tears tried to make a comeback and I felt my eyes mist up again.

"Whoa, hey Erza! Don't start crying again or you'll make me break my promise!"

I laughed and the tears went away, Natsu could always manage to make my tears go away. "Well, technically it's already broken but alright, I won't cry anymore." I looked into Natsu's eyes as we stood there together and he looked right back.

"Natsu," I leaned into Natsu and allowed him to support me as I reached around his body and hugged him, just that simple hug made everything seem right again. I felt Natsu's arms close around me as well and his body heat warmed me to the core and I felt totally safe in that moment. "Thank you."

We stood there, arms enclosed around each other as the world fell back into place in my mind. Natsu had given me hope and warmth again and everything would fall back to the way it should be. We finally broke apart and I could tell Natsu was glad to see me looking like my usual self again.

"Erza, let's go back to the camp, I'm sure everyone is worried about you." I nodded in agreement and the two of us started walking back toward the camp together.

"You know Erza," I turned to look at Natsu who seemed to have something on his mind. "It feels a lot nicer when you don't have your armor on." I felt my cheeks flush just a little; it was true that I didn't have any armor on at the moment. I was sure Natsu was only saying that because that was how it was but that didn't change the fact that there had only been normal clothes between us at the time. Natsu was one of the few that had pierced my defenses and I had to admit, it did feel good; however, I just couldn't let it go like that. Soon I had ex-equipped into my usual armor and was ready for a little revenge.

"I'm sorry Natsu; I didn't realize that you wanted me to give you a hug like this."

"Huh? Ah! Wait, Erza!" Before Natsu could even think about getting away I captured him and forced him into a hug and brought his face to my chest with one hand. It gave a nice clanging sound when his head hit my armor. Natsu quickly detached himself from me and I could see a large red-mark on his face where his face had met my armor. I couldn't help but smile a little wider at his pained face. It didn't take long for Natsu to smile again though and we continued on our way. He was probably glad to have me back on my feet and I wasn't about to let him down, or Gerard.

"_Don't worry Gerard. I...no, **we** will come and get you out. I won't leave you behind no matter what!"_ The last scarlet rays faded from the sky to be replaced by pure, golden rays. It was time to stand tall and stride forward into tomorrow. I and my Nakama started another day together.

**Author's Notes: I haven't done many first person stories before but I thought it was appropriate to do in this format even if I don't have that much experience with it. After reading chapter 163 I just had to make this story caused it just seemed right. Well I hoped you like it. Feel free to review if you want! Have a good day Fairy Tail fans!**

**Note #2: I just recently re-read this story and noticed a few problems that had escaped my notice before so I fixed them so I hope it improves the quality of this story.**


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